The Records Play On

By: Nolan Stout

            It is no secret that digital downloads are becoming the dominant form of music purchases. However, one needs to look no further than the Piedmont of North Carolina to see that other forms of music are still alive and well.

            Vinyl records may seem like a thing of the past, but for a few new stores the industry is picking back up again.

Jonathan Hodges of Winston-Salem believes that the movement of music to almost all digital mediums is related to the increase of vinyl.

            “There is nothing tangible. If you lose your hard drive that’s it, you lose all your music. With vinyl, it’s the opposite end of that spectrum,” said Hodges.

            Two new stores have opened since September locally. In Greensboro, Hippo Records sprang up at the Shoppes at Lindley Park on Spring Garden Street. In Winston-Salem, Underdog Records opened its doors on Robinhood Road.

            In Raleigh, one of the longest running record stores in the country, Schoolkids Records, has relocated to an even bigger building.

The growth in the vinyl industry is not just up in the Triangle, but has risen nationally.

According to Nielsen SoundScan, as of June 30, 2013, vinyl sales had risen 33.50-percent from 2012 to 2013. This varies from CD album sales which are down 14.20-percent in the same time.

A brand new vinyl runs for anywhere between $15-$25. This is higher than a CD which can run from $12-$15 and much higher than a digital download which may cost less than $10.

However, this has not stopped people from continuing to buy vinyl records.

A closer look at each new store and the iconic store in Raleigh show just how this has come about.

Out On His Own

            Patrick Lemons began working in the vinyl industry at Edward McKay Used Books & More in his hometown of Greensboro. His interest in music, however, began long before that.

            “My dad had a Huey Lewis & the News album, Fore!, and I used to play that all the time when I was around six,” said Lemons.  

            His experiences with vinyl really began to pick up when he was 17 and could finally drive.

            “I really enjoyed the thrill of being able to drive to stores and discover new music,” said Lemons.

            While working at Edward McKay’s Used Books and More, Lemons saw that there was money to be made in the vinyl market and thought that maybe he could “do it better than them.”

So after a few years of building up a stock of records and deciding how best to go out on his own, Lemons finally established a business. At first, he worked out of a corner of Lost Ark Video Games selling records.

Lemons was doing very well selling his records at the arcade and wanted to expand so he was able to work out an agreement for the space next door to the arcade and opened his doors in September.

It was not a venture Lemons took lightly.

“You’re signing up not just for the monetary risk, but also your time and effort,” said Lemons. “You can’t change your mind, there’s no backing out.”

But, Lemons has had great business in the short time he has been open. Lemons says that he has many customers coming in that are just starting their record collections or trying to build up their old collections.

“I’d say there are quite a few people in their 40s-50s,” said Lemons. “But, there are also a lot of people coming in that are in that 16-25 age range.”

Lemons orders many new albums to sell, but also buys just as many, if not more, used records that people bring in and want to sell.

            Hippo Records is now the fifth record store in Greensboro. Lemons believes that helps business.

            “Say you’re from Raleigh or Winston-Salem. You’re probably not going to make the drive for just one store. But, if there are multiple stores around, you’re more likely to drive,” said Lemons. “I also think it creates more of a fervor about it because there are so many stores around.”

            What might separate Hippo Records from other stores is the quality of the used records Lemons sells.

            “I don’t like to sell records that are bad quality,” said Lemons. “I like to think in terms of how would I feel if I was buying it. I price it as what I would feel was reasonable as opposed to what I think I can sell it for.”

As to the name for the record store, Lemons said it just came to him.

“I couldn’t think of anything good. Nothing came to my mind,” said Lemons. “I like to meditate and so I decided to meditate and the first word to come to me I’m going to do it. The first word that came up was hippopotamus and I thought that’s a stupid word.”

But, after thinking about that word a bit longer, Lemons decided he could shorten it to hippo and then just went forward from there.

Lemons runs the store by himself.

            Hippo Records carries just about all types of music. From 60s music to hip-hop, punk to jazz, metal to electronic, there is much diversity at Hippo Records.

The Unlikely Candidate

            Jonathan Hodges opened Underdog Records in Winston-Salem on November 1.

            Hodges formerly worked with the Record Exchange before wanting to break off and create his own store.

            “It got to the point where I wanted to do things differently than I was allowed to at a company,” said Hodges. “It was time to take the risk.”

            Unlike Lemons, Hodges was not nervous at all to open a new store.

            “I was going to be leaving where I was anyway so I wasn’t really nervous about it,” said Hodges.  

            The name came from the handle Hodges used to sell vinyl online and the name of his blog.

            Hodges carries all types of vinyl in his store. There are a large number of used vinyl as well as new in the store.

            Hodges hopes to partner with Little John’s bar to start a vinyl night on Tuesday nights in the future.

           

The Legacy Continues

            In Raleigh, Schoolkids Records is entering its 40th year of business. Once operating six stores in North Carolina, the location at the Mission Valley shopping center on Avent Ferry road is the last remaining store in the country.

            Schoolkids also had locations in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Athens, Ga.

            In 2011, the Grammy’s published an article on their website in which they chose the ten most iconic record stores in the country and Schoolkids was ranked fifth on that list.

            After 36 years, the store moved from its Hillsborough Street location across from the NC State bell tower because the city wishes to build a hotel at that site.

            Current owner Stephen Judge began working with the store in 1990.

            “I shopped here when I was in high school,” said Judge. “And then when I was at [NC] State I got hired here and worked for ten years.”

            The previous owner, Mike Phillips, had discussed with Judge about purchasing the Chapel Hill location. That did not happen because Judge did not have the funds to support the store. That location, the last outside Raleigh, closed shop in 2008 after 35 years of business.

            The owner then told Judge that in four or five years he might close the Hillsborough Street location and Judge told him to consult with him first before doing so.

            Judge kept in touch with the owner, saying he was the “first choice” to own it when the original owner was ready to quit.

“About two years ago I approached him about re-opening a store in Chapel Hill because I was living there at the time,” said Judge. “That was when the conversation came up about just buying the Raleigh store and running the whole brand.”

            The previous owner was ready to retire because he knew the store would have to relocate and he had no desire to do that. The two decided it was best for Judge to begin working and owning the store for a few years before they had to relocate so the move would be easier.

            “I always knew I wanted to find a bigger location and put a bar in the store so I could have bands play in-store,” said Judge.

            The store carries all types of music and is one of the biggest in North Carolina.

Vinyl Revolution

            Many factors may have contributed to the increase in vinyl. However, what might keep bringing people back is the desire to find something new.

            Starting a record collection can be fun and exciting. Many famous records can be found for only $1 at some stores.

            To some, collecting records is an unexplainable addiction. To others, it is just a hobby that they explore on the weekends.

            No matter the case, vinyl records are here to stay. Record stores are starting to open back up all over the country. While the world seems to be turning to a completely digital format, vinyl will still stick around and the records will play on.